Save resources to favorites, create a personal page to share
containing all Favorited resources, create presentations
Email Use:
Required for log-in account creation
Paid Option:
N/A
Comparison:
Wide variety of multimedia resources, easy to understand
category system, not all material is of similar quality, some
resources pulled from other sites like wikipedia and flickr
Description:
Users can search through the large database of multimedia,
sorted by subject then topic. Logged in users can then save
the resources they use to their favorites page and send the
URL of their favorites page to others to share those specific
resources, they can also use a simplistic presentation editor
to compile resources into a presentation.
Uses:
Foundation for a research paper, differentiated by interest
scavenger hunt
Log personal progress, complete exercises, comment on
video lessons
Email Use:
Gmail or Facebook account required for log-in
Paid Option:
N/A
Comparison:
Easy to navigate interface, wide variety of lessons, exercises
can be overly simplistic
Description:
Users can view professionally developed lessons in a variety
of topics, complete online quizzes in a variety of subjects
which are tracked via a personal profile
Uses:
User could watch a series as a individualized assignment,
specific videos could function as a foundation for a research
paper
Very easy to use, streamlined, Highest quality content easily
accessible, can automatically create a screen recording,
not designed for works in progress
Description:
User can upload video, audio, documents and presentations or
use a webcam to record directly to the website. Content is
organized by subject in packets, which can be edited and
commented on by other users. Users can also create
groups where multiple users can learn about or create packets.
Uses:
User could create a group specific to a class and have students
self teach based on the subject area packets, as well as add to
packets where appropriate.
Add videos to favorites, create playlists, rate and comment on
videos
Email Use:
Required for log-in
Paid Option:
Gain college credit for taking select courses
Comparison:
All content produced by professors for college classes, videos
usually created in a course sequence, limited options for
certain subjects, limited options for younger viewers
Description:
Users can view videos of lectures by top professors in their
respective fields. The lectures contain accompanying notes
and in certain cases also have online tests which can be used
to qualify for college credit through watching the lecture.
Uses:
User could watch a series as a individualized assignment,
specific videos could function as a foundation for a research
paper
All content produced by experts in respective fields, no video
is longer than 20 minutes, search not always easy to navigate
some topics less covered than others
Description:
Users can view videos of speaking engagements by respected
experts The lectures contain accompanying notes and in certain
cases also have a transcript available as well as additional talks
related to the same topic.
Uses:
User could watch a series as a individualized assignment,
specific videos could function as a foundation for a research
paper.
In browser, flash plug-in required (for some resources)
Anonymous User:
View and access all content listed on the site
Logged-in User:
N/A
Email Use:
N/A
Paid Option:
N/A
Comparison:
Wide variety of free online resources, easy to navigate and
search for specific content, many resources are links to
external sites
Description:
User can search for and identify content related to a topic of
interest. The site provides a link to the information as well as
what government agency funded the project.
Uses:
Foundation for a research paper, differentiated by interest
scavenger hunt
General Informational Quizzes
These sites provide resources for testing subject knowledge, and in some cases creating quizzes relating to any subject area
Track high scores over time, game scales difficulty based on
performance
Email Use:
Required for log-in account
Paid Option:
N/A
Comparison:
Very easy to use, correct answers provide rice to feed hungry
people across the world, limited selection of question
categories, no method for creating personal quizzes
Description:
Users can choose the category of information to be quizzed on
and answer multiple choice questions relating to that category.
Correct answers prompt the banner ad to be refreshed and the
companies paying for the advertising donate 10 grains of rice
to the world food bank per page view. Users can also join groups
to donate together.
Uses:
Quiz could build knowledge reaction time, vocabulary, stronger
connection to global community
Wide variety of quizzes, breakdown of statistics for most
missed questions after taken, not all content is vetted, can
be difficult to navigate
Description:
Users can take timed tests on everything from flags of the
world to multiplication facts. Quizzes can be customized for
challenges such as ending the quiz with a wrong answer, or
not showing answers on questions missed. Users also provided
a tool for making their own quiz to share with the community
Uses:
User could make virtual flash cards to study, quiz could build
knowledge reaction time
Language Arts Resources
These websites provide mostly information relating to language arts, however they may be used in other contexts as well.
Read thousands of books available through the public domain
Logged-in User:
N/A
Email Use:
N/A
Paid Option:
Large library of digitized books, all books have a plain text
option for text to speech and easy copying, can be difficult
to navigate
Description:
This site contains a database of books free through the public
domain, available for anyone to read. It also provides additional
links to partner ebook sites, and free audio book mp3 sites.
Uses:
Give students reading options from digital archive instead of
buying many copies of the book, provide as an option for silent
reading time.
Read thousands of books available through the public domain
Logged-in User:
N/A
Email Use:
N/A
Paid Option:
N/A
Comparison:
Visually pleasing book reading interface, additional extras about
featured books, book reading interface can be sluggish to load
difficult to copy text from a book directly
Description:
This site contains a database of books free through the public
domain, available for anyone to read. It sorts the books by
genre and age group. It also provides additional links to
information surrounding reading such as book lists and local
library resources.
Uses:
Give students reading options from digital archive instead of
buying many copies of the book, provide as an option for silent
reading time.
Math Resources
These websites provide mostly information relating to math, however they may be used in other contexts as well.
View and interact with the online virtual manipulatives
Logged-in User:
Purchase and download the offline version of NLVM
Email Use:
Required for log-in account creation
Paid Option:
Download offline version, gain access to multi-lingual support
Comparison:
Easy to navigate, clearly sorted manipulatives by content and
age level, limited options for certain math topics
Description:
Users can select an grade level and a math unit, and will be
presented with a selection of tools to assist working with that
unit. Some tools may be digital representations of physical
manipulatives, such as tanagrams, but others may be otherwise
impossible to create, such as the fractal builder.
Uses:
Explore different tools and find a favorite to build an inquiry
lesson around, visualize otherwise difficult to imagine shapes
such as dual platonic solids
Required for log-in account (allows users to make a gmail account if no email address exists)
Paid Option:
N/A
Comparison:
Very robust tool for viewing data over time, accepts data from other
spreadsheet programs if imported, no pre-made data sets or
animations, can be difficult to initially use
Description:
By entering a series of values in chronological order into Google
Spreadsheet, users can then visualize the values across the x and y
axis, the point size, color and time.
Uses:
User could follow trends over time such as the stock market, create
a predicted trend beyond a current graph, see the relationship between
position, velocity and acceleration
Social Studies Resources
These websites provide mostly information relating to social studies, however they may be used in other contexts as well.
In browser, flash plug in; Download (Windows, Mac and Linux)
Anonymous User:
View U.N. country statistics growing by time
Logged-in User:
N/A
Email Use:
N/A
Paid Option:
N/A
Comparison:
Very easy to use, demonstrates powerful correlations, specific
to country data, limited statistics from earlier in time
Description:
Gapminder is a visualization tool which helps users understand
the relative status of different countries throughout history. It
can demonstrate hundreds of pieces of country data across the
graph's x axis, y axis, point size, point color and change over
time.
Uses:
Identify a correlation between two quality of life indicators, make
predictions based on general movement over time, fix
misconceptions about the gap between countries
Strong connection between exhibits and activities, good
combination of media within an exhibit, somewhat clunky
navigation interface, limited options beyond U.S. History
Description:
Users who log in have access to a wide variety of modules
containing both text and images relating to a subject as well
as activities or responses that can be completed relating to the
subject. Teachers can also register their class and view
student responses
Uses:
Different exhibits could serve as a foundation for a research
paper, students could pretend to be curators for exhibits and
try to find more that could be added to the virtual museum.
Register for and participate in the latest classroom project
Email Use:
Required for log-in account creation
Paid Option:
Donate to charity related to program
Comparison:
Clear cooperative national focus, easy to involve others, only
one project focus per year
Description:
User signs up to help create a small physical object to donate
to a location. For every object received, philanthropic foundations
donate money to charitable organizations.
Uses:
Students could grow local community involvement, become
aware of more global issues
Science Resources
These websites provide mostly information relating to science, however they may be used in other contexts as well.
Live streams provide unscripted view of wildlife, videos are
interesting and unique, limited subject matter beyond animals
and specific cultures
Description:
User can view a variety of content as a live feed, recorded video
footage or photos related to several scientific and cultural
themes. Media is produced with the intention to receive
donations from viewers for charities related to the content.
Uses:
Create a virtual zoo tour by switching between animal feeds,
use as a resource for a research project on a specific animal
through taking natural observations.
Portals separated for teachers parents and students, clear
focused message towards real world application, limited
resources especially in student section
Description:
A collection of resources sponsored by Intel and Discovery
channel designed to get students excited by science and
interested in pursuing a career in a scientific field. Resources
include videos, lesson plans, and activities that can be
conducted in the classroom or at home.
Uses:
Students could be told to explore the teacher site and choose
their favorite lesson plan which would be taught, students
could pick a favorite science career path to research from the
available videos
Foreign language Resources
These websites provide mostly information relating to foreign languages, however they may be used in other contexts as well.
Take scripted lessons, daily practice, and web translations
Email Use:
Required for log-in account creation
Paid Option:
N/A
Comparison:
Very easy to use, robust learning options, interesting content,
currently long wait time for invitation, 2 languages offered
Description:
User takes pre-written lessons to initially learn vocabulary,
the user is then given the opportunity to translate web pages
from the learned language to his or her native language. The
website has an algorithm for measuring the accuracy of the
translated page by comparing it to other users' translations.
Successful translations award points which unlock more
complex vocabulary
Uses:
Learn either Spanish or German, discover the variety of content
on the web not targeted to English speaking individuals.
These websites provide a wide variety of text, image and video content across all major subject areas
NeoK-12
containing all Favorited resources, create presentations
category system, not all material is of similar quality, some
resources pulled from other sites like wikipedia and flickr
sorted by subject then topic. Logged in users can then save
the resources they use to their favorites page and send the
URL of their favorites page to others to share those specific
resources, they can also use a simplistic presentation editor
to compile resources into a presentation.
scavenger hunt
Khan Academy
video lessons
can be overly simplistic
of topics, complete online quizzes in a variety of subjects
which are tracked via a personal profile
specific videos could function as a foundation for a research
paper
Sophia.org
accessible, can automatically create a screen recording,
not designed for works in progress
use a webcam to record directly to the website. Content is
organized by subject in packets, which can be edited and
commented on by other users. Users can also create
groups where multiple users can learn about or create packets.
self teach based on the subject area packets, as well as add to
packets where appropriate.
Academic EarthWatch it on Academic Earth
videos
usually created in a course sequence, limited options for
certain subjects, limited options for younger viewers
respective fields. The lectures contain accompanying notes
and in certain cases also have online tests which can be used
to qualify for college credit through watching the lecture.
specific videos could function as a foundation for a research
paper
Ted
is longer than 20 minutes, search not always easy to navigate
some topics less covered than others
experts The lectures contain accompanying notes and in certain
cases also have a transcript available as well as additional talks
related to the same topic.
specific videos could function as a foundation for a research
paper.
Free Federal Resources for Education
search for specific content, many resources are links to
external sites
interest. The site provides a link to the information as well as
what government agency funded the project.
scavenger hunt
General Informational Quizzes
These sites provide resources for testing subject knowledge, and in some cases creating quizzes relating to any subject area
Free Rice
performance
people across the world, limited selection of question
categories, no method for creating personal quizzes
and answer multiple choice questions relating to that category.
Correct answers prompt the banner ad to be refreshed and the
companies paying for the advertising donate 10 grains of rice
to the world food bank per page view. Users can also join groups
to donate together.
connection to global community
Class Tools
Click here for larger version
easy to save and share creations, difficult to find high
quality public quizzes
choosing. Users can then save and share the unique URL
related to the quiz with others.
knowledge reaction time
Sporcle
missed questions after taken, not all content is vetted, can
be difficult to navigate
world to multiplication facts. Quizzes can be customized for
challenges such as ending the quiz with a wrong answer, or
not showing answers on questions missed. Users also provided
a tool for making their own quiz to share with the community
knowledge reaction time
Language Arts Resources
These websites provide mostly information relating to language arts, however they may be used in other contexts as well.
Project Gutenberg
option for text to speech and easy copying, can be difficult
to navigate
domain, available for anyone to read. It also provides additional
links to partner ebook sites, and free audio book mp3 sites.
buying many copies of the book, provide as an option for silent
reading time.
Read.gov
featured books, book reading interface can be sluggish to load
difficult to copy text from a book directly
domain, available for anyone to read. It sorts the books by
genre and age group. It also provides additional links to
information surrounding reading such as book lists and local
library resources.
buying many copies of the book, provide as an option for silent
reading time.
Math Resources
These websites provide mostly information relating to math, however they may be used in other contexts as well.
Calculation Nation
personal skill level
grow repetitive quickly, flash and multiplayer can be sluggish
progressively more difficult to keep with the player's ability.
math center.
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
age level, limited options for certain math topics
presented with a selection of tools to assist working with that
unit. Some tools may be digital representations of physical
manipulatives, such as tanagrams, but others may be otherwise
impossible to create, such as the fractal builder.
lesson around, visualize otherwise difficult to imagine shapes
such as dual platonic solids
Google Motion charts
https://docs.google.com
Tutorial:
http://support.google.com/docs/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=91610
account if no email address exists)
spreadsheet programs if imported, no pre-made data sets or
animations, can be difficult to initially use
Spreadsheet, users can then visualize the values across the x and y
axis, the point size, color and time.
a predicted trend beyond a current graph, see the relationship between
position, velocity and acceleration
Social Studies Resources
These websites provide mostly information relating to social studies, however they may be used in other contexts as well.
Gapminder
to country data, limited statistics from earlier in time
the relative status of different countries throughout history. It
can demonstrate hundreds of pieces of country data across the
graph's x axis, y axis, point size, point color and change over
time.
predictions based on general movement over time, fix
misconceptions about the gap between countries
Virtual History Museum
combination of media within an exhibit, somewhat clunky
navigation interface, limited options beyond U.S. History
containing both text and images relating to a subject as well
as activities or responses that can be completed relating to the
subject. Teachers can also register their class and view
student responses
paper, students could pretend to be curators for exhibits and
try to find more that could be added to the virtual museum.
History Matters
content for certain topics, limited user input
primary source documents, scholarly writings and vetted
content related to U.S. History
research project, complete one of the pre-made tasks as a
warm-up activity.
Students rebuild
one project focus per year
to a location. For every object received, philanthropic foundations
donate money to charitable organizations.
aware of more global issues
Science Resources
These websites provide mostly information relating to science, however they may be used in other contexts as well.
Explore.org
interesting and unique, limited subject matter beyond animals
and specific cultures
footage or photos related to several scientific and cultural
themes. Media is produced with the intention to receive
donations from viewers for charities related to the content.
use as a resource for a research project on a specific animal
through taking natural observations.
Curiosity in the Classroom
focused message towards real world application, limited
resources especially in student section
channel designed to get students excited by science and
interested in pursuing a career in a scientific field. Resources
include videos, lesson plans, and activities that can be
conducted in the classroom or at home.
their favorite lesson plan which would be taught, students
could pick a favorite science career path to research from the
available videos
Foreign language Resources
These websites provide mostly information relating to foreign languages, however they may be used in other contexts as well.
Duolingo
currently long wait time for invitation, 2 languages offered
the user is then given the opportunity to translate web pages
from the learned language to his or her native language. The
website has an algorithm for measuring the accuracy of the
translated page by comparing it to other users' translations.
Successful translations award points which unlock more
complex vocabulary
on the web not targeted to English speaking individuals.